This month marks 2 years since my family and I made the choice to live a vegan lifestyle. What started as 3 week experiment has grown into a lifelong choice. My family and I have particularly enjoyed the health benefits of our dairy free food choices.

There are numerous reasons to live a dairy free lifestyle but to fully appreciate the benefits you need to live them for yourself.

10 Health Benefits of Dairy Free Foods

Healthy Digestion

Lactose intolerance causes digestive problems in millions of people. These issues include stomach pain, stomach cramps, flatulence, bowel issues and nausea. It has been estimated that 70% of the world’s population has some degree of lactose intolerance. After weaning, babies no longer need the ability to digest milk so we gradually lose lactase, the enzyme needed to breakdown and digest lactose. The lactose in dairy products can also trigger irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and chronic constipation.

Stronger Bones

Yes, believe it or not there is a large body of evidence that shows you develop stronger bones when living a dairy free lifestyle. According to a landmark Harvard study* of approximately 78,000 female nurses, “…women consuming greater amounts of calcium from dairy foods had significantly increased risks of hip fractures, while no increase in fracture risk was observed for the same levels of calcium from nondairy sources.” Other studies have shown that populations with the highest dairy consumption also have the highest incidence of osteoporosis.

Clearer Skin

The exact cause isn’t known but it could be linked to the inflammation that dairy causes in the human body. However, for those that struggle with acne most realize a drastic improvement in their skin after removing dairy products from their diet. The hormones found in dairy products may also be a cause of human acne. Even though the exact correlation isn’t clear, dermatologists are recommending living a dairy free lifestyle to keep skin clear and healthy.

Dairy Free, Now What?

So now you are heavily considering removing dairy products from your diet but what about yogurt, ice cream treats, and coffee creamer? Fortunately, there are a whole host of amazing dairy free products on the market for you to enjoy.

One that our family enjoys is So Delicious, which offers everything from dairy free cultured yogurt, sweet ice cream treats, and beverages like milk and coffee creamer.

My children all love the dairy free cultured yogurt and I love that it contains probiotics which promote a healthy gut and digestion. So Delicious is also our go-to for special birthday treats and other special occasions. Their ice cream bars are amazing!

This week So Delicious has a special offer in ValPak for $1 off one 16oz. or larger So Delicious dairy free creamer. So go grab the ValPak from this week’s mail and find that coupon. Head on down to your local grocer and enjoy a dairy free coffee creamer this week with your morning cup of coffee.

If you did not receive a ValPak in your mail this week or live outside of the distribution area for the So Delicious coupon, you are in luck! Download and print this coupon!